After losing trees in last year's hurricanes, it's time
to start over.

Instant landscaping?
By Ginny Stibolt

After losing their trees in last year's hurricanes,
these folks opted for a complete makeover. The huge advantage to
having a landscaping company come in and install it is that it's done
in two days. I'll give you some cautions and considerations if
you’re thinking about installing your own instant landscape.

The plants, except for the sod,
fit in one load.

The
contouring

Before the new plants arrive, the yard was graded.
A ridge installed along the road will provide for more interest
and a little privacy, but drainage could be a problem in a gully-washer
rainfall. I hope a French
drain was installed at the front of house to channel the excess
storm water to the lake behind the house.

Plants lined up on right side of the driveway.

The
plants look pretty upon arrival

Because
the landscape company is looking for instantaneous beauty, plants that
look good at the time of installation are favored. This may
leave some gaps in interest throughout the year. Ask the
question about year-round displays. Another potential problem is
that trees, shrubs, and perennials may be planted too close together.
Ask about the eventual size and growing habits of each plant and plan
for the future.

First, the landscape guys spray painted the outlines
of the gardens and put the sod in place. They then moved the one
existing Sago (Cycas
revoluta) to the top of the ridge. This location makes for
a better anchor on that corner of the garden. The potted bedding
plants were then set in their proposed planting sites. The owner
was consulted before they were planted. I like the undulating pattern
of the bed—much more interesting than a straight edge, but think
about the mowing and maintenance. Don’t make it too hard to care
for.

Here
is the plant list:

Landscapers sink each plant in its designated spot.

· Liriope (Liriope
muscari `Variegata') Asia - As discussed in my French
drain article, this hardy evergreen member of the lily family is normally
planted as a border. · Society garlic
(Tulbaghia violacea) Asia - Widely planted around here, this odiferous
relative of garlic is said to have been planted in South Africa to keep
out the snakes. I've noticed the smell from twenty yards away when walking
through the neighborhood. I have seen snakes in these areas, but
I haven't seen any vampires. Hmm... · Crape myrtle (
Lagerstroemia indica) Asia - This small tree blooms all summer
and has interesting bark to look at in the winter. I wonder about
their placement in the middle of the garden beds rather than as a specimen
at the end of the bed or somewhere else. Hacking these trees back to keep
them hedge-like is probably not the best use in the landscape. Yes, the
common name is spelled “crape,” even though it was so named because the
flowers’ texture is similar to crepe. It's not a Myrtle, either.
This is why we need scientific names.· Assorted daylilies (
Hemerocallis spp.) Asia - These plants will do well in the full
sun and it looks like they are the ever-blooming type that will develop
flowers for more than just a few weeks typical of the standard varieties.
They'll become quite dense after a few years. All parts of the Daylily
are edible.· Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus
roseus) Madagascar - Often called annual Vinca and while it is
related to the true periwinkles (Vinca
major & V. minor) in cooler climates, this is widely planted for
its great colors and long blooming season. Plus, as you can see
below, the butterflies like it.· Japanese holly(Ilex crenata)
Asia - These ubiquitous little shrubs are planted everywhere around
here, but unlike many hollies, the berries are insignificant. I
have several planted along our front foundation. They are Boxwood
look-alikes with much faster growth and without the Boxwood's foul, cat
urine odor.

After mulching the job
is pretty much complete.

· Indian hawthorn
(Raphiolepis
indica) Asia - Widely planted around here and shaped into hedges
or gumdrops. It does have berries that the birds like.· Yew pine (
Podocarpus macrophyllus) Asia - These were planted along the front
of the house and while they do take to trimming, they can be much taller
than a normal hedge. It's neither a Pine nor a Yew, although it
is a gymnosperm like pines. Podocarps have their own family. · Windmill palm (Trachycarpus
fortunei) Asia - a slow growing palm that can eventually reach
40 feet. One was planted at either corner of the house - too close
for the possible future growth, in my opinion. You cannot keep a
palm short, because topping it will kill it. Once these palms grow above
the roofline, their hard fronds may damage the roof and fruit and other
droppings can make a mess of the gutters. · St. Augustine grass(Stenotaphrum
secundatum) Gulf of Mexico region - Except for golf courses,
do they ever plant any other type of grass in northern Florida?

Notice anything? Yep, nothing, except for the grass,
is native. Several native species could have been chosen.
I realize that the nursery business is difficult, especially with the
probable guarantees made for everything to live a year. Safe, reliable,
and abundant stock is the prudent business decision, but is is best for
your needs?

Palamedes Swallowtail (Papilio palamedes)
and a Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus) enjoy the Vinca
a month or so after the planting.

It is up to us, as gardeners, to provide diversity

Here's something else to consider. These plants (and
a few others) are so widely planted around here that the whole region
is losing its diversity. As native habitat is lost because of development
or due to invasive aliens, it it up to us, as gardeners, to provide greenways
on our property and diversity in our gardens.

(Update: This landscaping job only lasted a few years before
it was entirely replaced again. This time they installed a pervious driveway
and a drainage system--the instant landscape design directed all excess
water into their house!)

Ginny Stibolt would like to hear from readers who have suggestions and
questions. After all, there are more than a few transplanted gardeners
Florida trying to figure out what works and what doesn’t in planting zone
8/9. She's wrote, "Sustainable Gardening for Florida," published
by University Press of Florida that was released in 2009. Now she's written
"Organic Methods for Growing Vegetables in Florida" with Melissa
Contreras in Miami. The new book will be release in Feb 2013. You may
contact her or read extra details on her articles and other information
posted on her website: www.greengardeningmatters.com.